CHS athletes head to state meet

The Cassville Wildcat men's and women's track teams competed at the Class 3, Sectional 3 track meet held at Branson this past weekend. Cassville took nine athletes and had two qualify to state.

Nick Pianalto, Cassville's best thrower and resident strongman, took third at the sectional. Pianalto threw 153'2" in the discus toss. The senior plans to walk-on at the University of Arkansas track program next year.

Freshman Kristi Whitcomb also qualified. Whitcomb, the absolute opposite in physique of Pianalto, took fourth in the 300-meter hurdles. She ran a time of 49.11 seconds, finishing just six hundredths of a second slower then her personal best.

Cassville also had many other athletes who competed.

The Wildcat 800-meter relay team of Nate Evans, Phillip Cooper, Brian Elkins and Brent Elkins took sixth place with a time of 1:36.29.

The 3,200-relay team of Dannon Rose, Evans, Corey Wilbanks and Jeremy Archuleta possibly came the closest to qualifying.

In the beginning, the Wildcats had stuck themselves in the number four spot but they could not hold it, falling back to eighth. They finished with a time of 8:34.95 just one second off of their season best.

Brian Elkins triple jumped but could not get his jumps down, landing a 39'7.5" leap that put him in eighth place. Evans competed in the 400-meter race but also finished eighth with a time of 53.14 seconds.

Pianalto and Whitcomb will both compete at Dwight T. Reed Stadium in Jefferson City this upcoming Friday and Saturday.